1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to dispensing devices and more particularly to a device designed to dispense multiple pills in a single operation.
2. Description of Related Art
Invention and use of medicine dispensing devices are known to the public, as there are numerous such devices currently commercially available. These devices are designed to meet a wide variety of different medical needs, ranging from simple storage units for a single pill per day to complex housing units for dispensing several medications at various times throughout the day.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,757 issued to Lisa Rappaport et al. details a vertical storage arrangement with a dispensing door that moves vertically to release a pill and indicate which pills have been taken. This device is effective for single daily doses, such as birth control pills, but is limited in that it is designed to hold only one type of medication and dispense it one pill at a time. As such, it is incapable of meeting the needs of people taking multiple medications.
A number of patents have been issued to meet the needs of people with more complex medication schedules. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,247, issued to Anthony Majka teaches a gravity feed of pill combinations stored in compartments corresponding to the days in the month, whereby on a given day a trap door is sprung to drop the appropriate medications to a pickup slot. U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,478, issued to Steven Gordon (1992) discloses a device with a vertical matrix of storage spaces for groups of pills to be taken on a given day and at a given time. A timer and clock display may also be integrated into the device so as to provide an audio display and illuminate the particular push button corresponding to the medication to be taken at a particular time. Thomas Moulding, Jr. et al. discloses a device that effectively caters to the needs of those taking multiple medications at varying times in U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,093. This patent teaches a vertically disposed dispensing device for selectively orienting a pill or capsule for dispensing into a specific element such as a slot in a conveyor. The dispenser may include a computer for controlling and/or recording the time of dispensing and the quantity of medication dispensed.
These devices are effective in catering to the needs of those taking large quantities of medication with dosages that vary from day to day or hour to hour. However, for people with less complex medication schedules, these devices require unnecessary time and effort to presort the pills and load them properly into the appropriate compartments.
To comply with all medication schedules, Brad Ridgley introduced U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,752. Ridgley's device teaches a bulk dispenser that individually houses numerous different medications. The dispenser has a gravity feed to a set of doors through which pills are removed. When a door is opened, a large number of pills are readily available, and the individual simply takes out the number of each pill desired. However, this requires that the user open each individual door and count out the desired number of pills. While such a device is useful when large doses of each medicine are required, or different mounts of each pill are needed, it is rather inconvenient for those with simpler medication schedules.
As such, none of the prior art devices are able to simply and efficiently supply a single dose of multiple medications. Thus, there is a need for a convenient dispensing device that houses several different medications and effectively, simultaneously dispenses a single dose of each medication in a single operation. The present invention fulfills this need and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.